Stratford Sister Cities

A group of 45 residents from Stratford and surrounding districts are eagerly preparing for the next Stratford Sister Cities Reunion which will be held in Stratford in the North Island of New Zealand, from the 4th to the 10th of March.
As well as the 45 folk from Victoria, there are 30 coming over from Stratford Ontario, Canada, 9 from Stratford-upon-Avon in England, and 6 from Prince Edward Island in Canada. Unfortunately there are no participants from Stratford, Connecticut, USA. this time.
Part of the tradition of these reunions is for each country to present a gift to the host nation. This year we are fortunate to be taking the beautiful quilt made locally by our “M and M” Quilting group, which was featured in the Anglican quilt show late last year.

The New Zealand committee has organized an interesting program for all who are attending, including a Heritage Walk, a Maori Marae visit, being part of Baldrick’s Big Day Out carnival, and town market day. Optional tours to Mt Egmont, around the Taranaki area, Hollard Gardens, beef and sheep farms and an Opossum Factory, are all available.
As well, there will be lunches and dinners, a Medieval Banquet (where we are encouraged to dress for the occasion), a theatre performance, a church service and of course the opportunity to get to know our host families.

Our last day includes a tour to the Republic of Whangamomona which is a small remote village that broke away from New Zealand in 1989. We will tell you more about this when we return.

All reunions feature a concert, where each “Stratford” performs an item. Several of our Stratford Singers are attending this reunion, so they are busy practising for “our” item.

Some people are taking extra time to tour around other parts of New Zealand, and some of the northern hemisphere “Stratfordians” are calling in here to see our area during their travels.

Stay tuned for a reunion report when we return.